Integrators Meet Cybersecurity Challenges Head-on at New PSA Security Network Event
Leading systems integrators took in presentations from cybersecurity experts to get a grip on what they need to do to safeguard their businesses, as well as explore potential opportunities.
SSI Columnist and Matterhorn Security Consultant Paul Boucherle moderates a panel addressing cybersecurity revenue opportunities. Seated, l-r, are Bosch Security Systems Director of Sales, Global Key Accounts Dan Murray; Eagle Eye Networks President & CEO Dean Drako; Synnex Vice President of Design & Support Services Kirk Nesbit; and Senstar CTO Yossi Appleboum.
Today’s Unbounded Security Perimeter: Safeguarding Connected Devices (panel moderated by Dakota Security Systems President & CEO Eric Yunag and featuring HID Global Director of Program Management Daniel Bailin, Axiad IDS CEO Bassam Al-Khalidi, Brivo Systems Security Architect Charles Wheeler and DVTel President & CEO Yoav Stern) ― After a lot of eye-opening but sobering information, Stern provided attendees with a chance to exhale a bit. He told them to relax a bit, and that the best anyone can do is cyber defense because there is no cybersecurity since it is a moving target. He added that no one expects physical security integrators to become cyber experts. “Find cybersecurity partners to help you,” Stern urged. “When specifying products, remember more important than having best of breed in all cases is to ensure smooth integratability that better maintains the integrity of a cyber-secure posture.” Interestingly, Stern also mentioned how the push for Big Data is counterintuitive to propagating cybersecurity.
RELATED: Confronting the Cybersecurity Challenge
Scalable IT Security Services: To Have or to Hire? (Synnex Vice President of Design & Support Services Kirk Nesbit) ― “IT is not covering security adequately and so physical security integrators are better positioned to reach out in their direction than IT is to expand into security,” said Nesbit. “Outsourcing security is a natural. Integrators can either offer MSP [managed services provider] services or partner for a comprehensive IT-physical security offering.” Nesbit went on to identify health care, banking and quick-serve restaurants as three verticals being especially fertile for prospecting, the latter due to vulnerabilities stemming from many offering public WiFi connectivity. He said the health care opportunity spans from the largest hospitals to the smallest private practices. “These opportunities are well within reach,” Nesbit concluded.
Trusted Technology Programs: Performance and Design Qualifications for a Shielded Supply Chain (SecureXperts President & CEO Darnell Washington) ― Washington broke down the complex measures equipment and software suppliers must go through to guard against the introduction of malicious chips and programming during the manufacturing process. Specifically, he showed how chips with malware can be slipped in, how rogue USB drives can topple networks and how software worms such as Stuxnet can insidiously wreak havoc. “You need to be risk responsible with proper cyber hygiene within your own organizations before attempting to do the same for other organizations or customers,” he said. “Integrators need to step up as trusted advisors and make sure end users are doing what they need to do, and then with that will come more RMR opportunities.” Washington kept his presentation particularly engaging through the use of live audience polling. Doing so revealed that the majority have no formal cybersecurity policies in place within their companies.
Hardware Hacking and How to Prevent It (Azorian Cyber Security Professional Hacker Charles Tendell) ― In the conference’s most lively and entertaining presentation, “ethical hacker” Tendell paced back in forth in front of the crowd while telling them the best way to avoid being hacked is to think like a hacker. He then explained methods, techniques and resources hobbyist and criminal hackers rely upon to carry out their breaches. According to Tendell, nine of 10 times it’s basic misconfigurations and poor practices that
lead to successful hacks. Other vulnerabilities are linked to software weaknesses being exploited, no authentication or local threats such as infected thumb drives. A tip he offered was to always hard code mac addresses into video surveillance cameras. He also said to always use two-factor authentication. During his closing audience Q&A, the liveliest of the Cybersecurity Congress, Tendell cited antivirus programs as being useless and said the United States is well behind the cybersecurity curve. Making this session both more entertaining and frightening was an assistant he had placed among the attendees who hacked into some of the many laptops and smartphones in the room in a demonstration of the ease of doing, so similar to a magician’s trick.
Industry Outlook: Cybersecurity Players, Products, and Trends on the Rise (Security Sales & Integration Editor-in-Chief Scott Goldfine and Headwaters MB Partner Tom McConnell) ― Goldfine unveiled the findings of SSI‘s Physical-Logical Security Assessment, the first-ever study of its kind for the electronic security industry. Highlights of the research included roughly 75% of integrators not having yet developed cybersecurity best practices, not having updated their contracts to include the cyber element and not having acted on adding cyber-oriented insurance coverage. In addition, Goldfine said respondents rated the integrator community’s competency level regarding cybersecurity less than a four on a 1-10 scale and the likelihood of the worst cyber breaches yet to occur higher than an eight. “That is not a good combination,” he said. On the plus side, he said respondents rated their interest level in learning more about cybersecurity higher than an eight. Complete study results will be featured in SSI‘s March issue. McConnell detailed the booming financial aspect of cybersecurity companies and how it is an investors’ market already seeing explosive growth. Whether or not it sustains over the long term or fizzles like the dotcom craze remains to be seen. McConnell pegged it currently as a $96 billion-dollar industry with some rising providers currently seeing estimated valuations as high as 15x revenue.
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine
Scott Goldfine is the marketing director for Elite Interactive Solutions. He is the former editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He can be reached at [email protected].
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